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Suffolk County, MA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Suffolk Probate and Family Court, a division of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department; there is no separate surrogate or register of wills court |
| Filing office | Registry of Probate, Suffolk County, run by the elected Register of Probate, Stephanie L. Everett, Esq. |
| Courthouse | Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon St., 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02114 |
| Mailing address | Suffolk Probate and Family Court, 24 New Chardon St., Boston, MA 02114 (the division publishes no separate P.O. Box) |
| Chelsea session | Chelsea District Court, 120 Broadway, Chelsea, MA 02150; open Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Phone | (617) 788-8301 (Register's Office, the Registry of Probate line) |
| Fax | (617) 788-8962 (Register's Office) |
| Virtual registry | Registry staff answer questions face to face by Zoom at zoomgov.com/my/suffolkpf or by phone at (646) 828-7666, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; the division publishes no general email address |
| Hours | Boston: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Chelsea session: Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Closed weekends and court holidays |
| Filing fee | Informal or formal probate and appointment of a personal representative: $390 ($375 plus a $15 surcharge). Voluntary administration: $115 ($100 plus a $15 surcharge). Uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026 |
| Local forms | Massachusetts uses one statewide set of official MPC forms in every division; there is no Suffolk-only form set. The load-bearing filings are MPC 150 (informal), MPC 160 (formal), and MPC 170 (voluntary administration) |
| E-filing | eFileMA (Odyssey File & Serve, Tyler Technologies) at www.efilema.com is available for Suffolk probate 24/7 but is not mandatory; you may also file by mail or in person at the Registry counter |
| Case search | MassCourts public portal at masscourts.org, searchable by name for Probate and Family Court dockets; some records are restricted |
| Remote appearance | Informal probate is decided by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing; for formal matters, the court publishes a guide to remote hearings and sets the format case by case, so confirm with the Registry of Probate |
| Self-help | Boston Court Service Center inside the Brooke Courthouse, 2nd Floor, free help with forms and court procedure for self-represented filers; the Registry also runs a Zoom virtual registry Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings |
| Website | https://www.mass.gov/locations/suffolk-probate-and-family-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Suffolk County, know exactly what is in the estate. The path you take depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets: Massachusetts offers voluntary administration for a small estate of personal property, informal probate for the ordinary uncontested case, and formal probate when there is a dispute or a defective will. These paths and their dollar thresholds are statewide and are explained on the Massachusetts state page. The choice determines which MPC form you file and whether a MUPC Magistrate or a judge handles it.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, business interest, and parcel of Suffolk County real estate, along with every debt, and identify each heir and devisee by name. In Boston this matters for real estate in particular, because conveying a decedent's home can require a license to sell if the will grants no power of sale, and it requires clearing the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Suffolk Probate and Family Court serves all of Suffolk County, which is made up of four municipalities: the city of Boston, together with the city of Chelsea, the city of Revere, and the town of Winthrop. Boston's neighborhoods, including Allston, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, the South End, and West Roxbury, are part of the city of Boston and are served by the same division. Estates from every one of these communities are filed with the Registry of Probate.
The main courthouse is the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse at 24 New Chardon Street in downtown Boston, which also houses the Suffolk Registry of Deeds, the Eastern Housing Court's Boston session, and the Boston Juvenile Court. The division also holds a satellite session at the Chelsea District Court, 120 Broadway, Chelsea, open Tuesday to Thursday; the division publishes only that session's address and hours, so confirm with the Registry of Probate which matters it handles before going there.
Venue for a decedent's estate is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (MGL c. 190B, § 3-201). If the decedent lived in Boston, Chelsea, Revere, or Winthrop, file in Suffolk County. If the decedent was not domiciled in Massachusetts but owned property in the county, venue is also proper here. A proceeding may be transferred to another county for cause or convenience (MGL c. 190B, § 1-303).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue. Suffolk is the right county when the decedent was domiciled here at death, that is, in Boston, Chelsea, Revere, or Winthrop (MGL c. 190B, § 3-201). If the decedent lived out of state but owned Suffolk County property, venue is also proper here.
- Choose the path. Informal probate (MPC 150) is the ordinary uncontested route; formal probate (MPC 160) is used when there is a dispute, a missing or defective will, or an interested party who is unknown or incapacitated; voluntary administration (MPC 170) is for a qualifying small estate of personal property under MGL c. 190B, § 3-1201. The paths and thresholds are statewide and are on the Massachusetts state page.
- Gather what the court needs: the original will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the completed MPC petition, the bond, and the notice forms identifying the surviving spouse, heirs at law, and devisees. The estate representative is the personal representative (named in a will, historically an executor; appointed without a will, historically an administrator).
- File with the Registry of Probate. You may file through eFileMA (Odyssey File & Serve at www.efilema.com), which is available 24/7 but not required, or by mail or in person at the Registry counter in the Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon Street. Pay the statewide filing fee: $390 for informal or formal probate and appointment, or $115 for voluntary administration (uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026).
- Give the required notice. Informal probate requires advance written notice to interested persons and, where applicable, publication; formal probate proceeds by a Citation and order of notice that the court issues, with return dates. Newspaper publication, where required, is paid to the newspaper, not the court.
- The matter is reviewed. In informal probate, a MUPC Magistrate reviews the petition and may allow it with no hearing, as early as 7 days after death. Formal probate and any contested matter are heard by a judge of the division; the court publishes a guide to remote hearings, and the format is set case by case.
- Receive authority. On appointment the court issues Letters of Authority; a certified copy from the Registry of Probate is the proof banks, transfer agents, and the Registry of Deeds rely on. Additional Letters cost $25 each (uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026).
- Administer and close: collect assets, pay valid creditor claims (a creditor generally must act within one year of death, MGL c. 190B, § 3-803), and account to the interested persons. If Suffolk County real estate must be sold and the will grants no power of sale, obtain a license to sell real estate (MGL c. 202); clear the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds before conveying.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Suffolk County
Massachusetts uses one statewide set of official Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (MPC) forms, and the same forms are filed in Suffolk as in every other division. There is no separate Suffolk form set. The core filings are the Petition for Informal Probate of a Will and/or Appointment of a Personal Representative (MPC 150), the Petition for Formal Adjudication (MPC 160), and the Voluntary Administration Statement for a small estate (MPC 170). Common companions include the bond (MPC 801), the surviving-spouse, children, and heirs-at-law form (MPC 162), and the devisees form (MPC 163).
The forms are published statewide on mass.gov (the Probate and Family Court forms list for wills, estates, and trusts) and on the Trial Court forms portal at courtforms.jud.state.ma.us. Suffolk accepts them through eFileMA (www.efilema.com), by mail, or in person at the Registry of Probate counter in the Brooke Courthouse. For questions about local intake or what the Registry needs, call the Register's Office at (617) 788-8301.
Local nuance
Suffolk County-specific considerations
Boston's downtown courthouse serves the whole county. Probate for all of Suffolk County, Boston and its neighborhoods plus Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, is filed at the Suffolk Registry of Probate in the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon Street, 3rd Floor, Boston. The building also houses the Suffolk Registry of Deeds, the Eastern Housing Court's Boston session, and the Boston Juvenile Court, so an estate matter that touches real estate can involve more than one office under the same roof.
A Chelsea session with limited hours. The division holds a satellite session at the Chelsea District Court, 120 Broadway, Chelsea, open Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The division's mass.gov page publishes only the session's address and hours, not which matters it hears, so confirm with the Registry of Probate what the Chelsea session handles before going there rather than to the Boston counter.
A MUPC Magistrate handles informal probate. Uncontested informal probate and informal appointment are administrative proceedings decided by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing, and the Magistrate may act as early as 7 days after death. Formal probate, supervised administration, and any contested matter go before a judge of the division. Do not expect a hearing date for a clean informal filing.
eFileMA is available, not required. Suffolk accepts probate filings through eFileMA (Odyssey File & Serve at www.efilema.com) around the clock, but eFiling is not mandatory, including for attorneys. You may still file by mail or in person at the Registry of Probate counter. Tyler charges its own convenience fee on top of the statutory filing fee.
Free help at the Boston Court Service Center, with limits. The Boston Court Service Center operates inside the Brooke Courthouse at 24 New Chardon Street, 2nd Floor, and helps self-represented filers with forms and court procedure. In-person hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; remote help is available Monday to Friday. Staff give procedural help, not legal advice or representation. The court also hosts a lawyer-for-the-day program and Volunteer Lawyers Project clinics, but the lawyer-for-the-day program does not assist with probate estate cases, and the clinics are by appointment for income-eligible filers, focused on family law and guardianship. For questions about a filing, the Registry's virtual registry answers by Zoom on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Suffolk County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Boston, Chelsea, Revere, or Winthrop home held jointly with right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety passes to the surviving spouse outside probate; the survivor records a death certificate and the supporting documents with the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds to clear title. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need informal probate (MPC 150), filed with the Registry of Probate in the Brooke Courthouse. | Asset discovery to separate jointly held property from sole-name assets. Packet generation for the MPC 150 filing and notice forms. Guidance on clearing title at the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | If the parent left Massachusetts personal property within the voluntary-administration limit and no real estate, the child can use voluntary administration (MPC 170) under MGL c. 190B, § 3-1201 once at least 30 days have passed since death. A larger estate is filed as informal probate (MPC 150), and eFileMA lets the child file from out of state without traveling to Boston. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the voluntary-administration path and holds no real estate. Packet generation for the MPC 170 statement or the MPC 150 petition, formatted for eFileMA. Attorney referral if the estate turns out to be larger or contested. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Informal or formal probate in Suffolk County, filed with the Registry of Probate in the Brooke Courthouse. Because there is no will, the parent is appointed personal representative and receives Letters of Authority. With no will granting a power of sale, the parent must obtain a license to sell real estate (MGL c. 202) before conveying the home, and clear the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the appointment petition, the license-to-sell papers, and the estate-tax lien release. Attorney referral if an heir dispute or the sale turns contested and moves before a judge. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Suffolk Probate and Family Court, (617) 788-8301 (mass.gov/locations/suffolk-probate-and-family-court) | The division's own page: contact details, hours, directions, the Chelsea session, and forms links; the filing office for Suffolk County probate |
| Boston Court Service Center (mass.gov/locations/boston-court-service-center) | Free help with forms and court procedure for self-represented filers inside the Brooke Courthouse at 24 New Chardon Street, 2nd Floor; in person Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings, and remotely Monday to Friday. Procedural help, not legal advice |
| Suffolk Probate and Family Court virtual registry (mass.gov/info-details/suffolk-probate-and-family-court-virtual-registry) | Registry staff answer questions and handle general court business face to face by Zoom (zoomgov.com/my/suffolkpf) or by phone at (646) 828-7666, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
| Massachusetts Probate and Family Court forms (mass.gov/lists/probate-and-family-court-forms-for-wills-estates-and-trusts) | The statewide MPC forms list, including MPC 150, 160, and 170, and the MUPC Estate Administration procedural guides for informal, formal, and voluntary administration |
| eFileMA (www.efilema.com) | The Odyssey File & Serve portal for filing Suffolk probate online, available 24/7 and open to self-represented filers |
| MassLegalHelp (masslegalhelp.org) | Plain-language self-help on wills, estates, and probate for the public |
| Greater Boston Legal Services, (617) 371-1234 (gbls.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of the city of Boston and 31 surrounding cities and towns, with an Elder, Health and Disability unit |
| Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (masslawhelp.com) | Attorney referrals statewide, including Suffolk probate and estate matters |
When to hire an attorney
Many Suffolk families complete an uncontested informal probate on their own, using the statewide MPC forms, eFileMA, and the procedural help at the Boston Court Service Center. Counsel makes sense when a matter is contested and moves before a judge, such as a will contest, an objection to an account, or a fiduciary-removal dispute; when the estate is insolvent or its solvency is in doubt; when Suffolk County real estate must be sold and the will grants no power of sale, so a license to sell (MGL c. 202) is required; when a Massachusetts estate tax return may be due; or when heirs are in conflict. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Suffolk County probate attorney when the situation calls for counsel.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Suffolk County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and can pick the right Massachusetts probate path for estate settlement before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Suffolk filing: the MPC petition (informal MPC 150, formal MPC 160, or voluntary administration MPC 170), the bond, and the surviving-spouse-and-heirs and devisee notice forms, formatted for upload through eFileMA or for the Registry of Probate counter in the Brooke Courthouse.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Suffolk County probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
With the Registry of Probate at the Suffolk Probate and Family Court, in the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon St., 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02114. Suffolk County covers Boston and its neighborhoods plus Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, and all of their estates are filed at the Boston Registry counter. You may also file through eFileMA or by mail.
Does the Chelsea session handle probate filings?
The Suffolk Probate and Family Court holds a satellite session at the Chelsea District Court, 120 Broadway, Chelsea, open Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The division's mass.gov page publishes only the session's address and hours, not which matters it hears, so confirm with the Registry of Probate what the Chelsea session handles before going there. The main Registry of Probate counter is in the Brooke Courthouse in Boston.
Do I have to e-file probate in Suffolk County?
No. eFileMA (Odyssey File & Serve at www.efilema.com) is available for Suffolk probate 24 hours a day and is open to self-represented filers, but eFiling is not mandatory, including for attorneys. You may still file by mail or in person at the Registry of Probate counter. Tyler charges its own convenience fee on top of the statutory filing fee.
How much does it cost to file probate in Suffolk County?
The filing fees are set by statute and are uniform across all Massachusetts divisions. Informal or formal probate and appointment of a personal representative is $390 ($375 plus a $15 surcharge), and voluntary administration for a small estate is $115 ($100 plus a $15 surcharge) (uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026). Newspaper publication, where required, is paid to the newspaper, not the court.
How do I look up a Suffolk County probate case?
Use the MassCourts public portal at masscourts.org, which covers Probate and Family Court dockets and is searchable by name. Some family matters are impounded and will not appear. For questions about a specific filing, call the Register's Office at (617) 788-8301.
Do I have to appear in court for Suffolk probate?
Usually not for a clean informal filing. Uncontested informal probate is reviewed by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing, and the Magistrate may act as early as 7 days after death. Formal probate and any contested matter are heard by a judge of the division; the court publishes a guide to remote hearings, so confirm the format with the Registry of Probate.
What forms do I use for Suffolk probate?
The statewide official MPC forms, the same set used in every Massachusetts division. The core filings are MPC 150 (informal probate), MPC 160 (formal probate), and MPC 170 (voluntary administration for a small estate), with the bond (MPC 801) and the surviving-spouse-and-heirs (MPC 162) and devisee (MPC 163) notice forms as companions. They are on the mass.gov Probate and Family Court forms list and the Trial Court forms portal at courtforms.jud.state.ma.us.
Is there free help with probate in Suffolk County?
Yes. The Boston Court Service Center, inside the Brooke Courthouse at 24 New Chardon Street, 2nd Floor, helps self-represented filers with forms and court procedure, in person Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings and remotely Monday to Friday; it gives procedural help, not representation. The Registry's virtual registry answers questions by Zoom on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. The court also hosts a lawyer-for-the-day program and Volunteer Lawyers Project clinics, but the lawyer-for-the-day program does not assist with probate estate cases, and the clinics are by appointment for income-eligible filers. MassLegalHelp (masslegalhelp.org) offers plain-language self-help online.
Who signs off on an uncontested Suffolk probate?
A MUPC Magistrate of the Probate and Family Court, not a judge. Informal probate and informal appointment are administrative proceedings the Magistrate reviews and allows without a hearing. A judge is involved only in formal, supervised, or contested matters.
What proof of authority does the personal representative get?
Letters of Authority, issued by the court on appointment. A certified copy from the Registry of Probate is the proof banks, transfer agents, and the Registry of Deeds rely on to release accounts and record deeds. Additional Letters cost $25 each (uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026).
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.